“Why do you love God so much?”

“Because He takes care of us.”

I don’t know if that was the best answer to an off-the-cuff four year old question, but it seemed appropriate to the situation.  Theology degrees give a nice grounding, but it’s life that prepares you to deal with the punches.  Grown-ups can agonize over how “bad things” fit into their world view, but no world view can get them through the “bad things.”  It’s a relational God-thing.  If God can’t see me through the bad things, then He isn’t God.  But He has and He is.  And that’s what a four year old needs to know.

Uncle Nick is in the hospital.  He’s far sicker than Aunt Julie was when she was in the hospital.  She spent a night so that doctors could run a bazillion tests and sleep better.  Uncle Nick is in a medically induced coma so he can get better.  While his family gathers at his bedside in Florida, his nephew prays for him in Maryland. 

We read some Bible stories tonight.  Solomon asked for wisdom and built the temple.  Naaman was healed of leprosy.  King Josiah took the throne at age 8, found lost Scriptures, and turned the people back to God. 

I asked Harper what he would have asked God for and his answer was “food.” 

“Food?”

“I’m always hungry.”

Um….this is the kid who ate half his dinner because his tummy was full?   But then had room for ice cream?

The Naaman story was more relevant.  If Naaman could be healed of leprosy by going in the river seven times, God can heal Nick with all the doctors and medicines that are being used in Florida.  But it’s still a God thing and we need Him to take care of Nick.

Harper was most impressed with Josiah.  King at age 8.  Kids can do some amazing things.  There’s something about having a little kid around that helps grown-ups remember what it means to have faith.  It’s not as hard as we make it out to be.  Naaman was asked to go in the river seven times.  How hard is that?  Grown-ups can come up with a bazillion reasons not to.  A kid would go in the river.  Fortunately for Naaman, Naaman chose to go in the river.  He was a grown-up but he had faith like a kid.